The Drakenstein Arts and Crafts Cooperative (DACC) is claiming the Drakenstein Municipaltity is not coming to the party when it comes to supporting the plight of arts and crafts in the valley.
DACC is a group of art entrepreneurs operating since 2014. The cooperative was established to help uplift artists in the community, providing opportunities by creating platforms for them to sell their work as well as creating job opportunities and promoting social change.
According to Syril Lehana of DACC, the municipality initially made many promises of support, but these ended up empty. He said it had become evident that the municipality had in fact no interest in creating a local artists’ hub or in supporting artists.
“We as cooperative have discussed and deliberated with all officials handling the arts and crafts portfolio as to a way forward to upgrading the markets to promote local and international tourism.
“We handed a proposal to them for this purpose, but our efforts were in vain because the officials seemed more interested in private business urbanising the areas that need to be kept as recreational arts facilities.”
Furthermore, Lehana accused the municipality of corruption when collaborating with Seta and Boland College, with monetary promises made to informal artists on completion of Seta courses.
“A few traders were informed they had to attend a two-week course and a monetary promise of R10 000 was made to each trader on completion of the course.
“On its completion they were told to sign a document granting them access to the funds, but only certain traders received monies.”
Jacqui Samson, Director of Planning and Development at the municipality, said many years now it had an official working relationship with some members of the Drakenstein Arts and Crafts Cooperative.
In 2017, it implemented the first phase of a Drakenstein arts and crafts support programme, which included a comprehensive training programme implemented by the Craft and Design Institute.
Support to certain members of DACC has included the following:. Facilitated access to funding and mentorship support to Syrrill Collaboration with Cape Winelands District Municipality to the value of R38 000;. Facilitated business linkage to Syrrill Collaboration to produce trophies for a local food garden competition to the value of R19 500; . Facilitated a business linkage to the World Fair Trade Organisation for the production of keyrings to the value of approximately R62 000, where only half of the product was delivered; . Facilitated access to marketing platforms at the Festival of Lights Christmas market, the One World Festival of Healing, the Wellington Open Day, and the annual World Fair Trade Day hosted in collaboration with the World Fair Trade Organization – Middle East and Africa; and . Facilitated access to funding to Yolisa Job Creation (ex-member of the Drakenstein Arts and Crafts Co-operative) to the tune of R20 000.
He said in further support to DACC the municipality has to date waived fees for services to the value of R25 000 for banner and venue fees to date.
The cooperative also has free access to municipal meeting rooms.
Such requests have been facilitated via the Municipality’s Economic Development and Tourism division.
In respect of the DACC’s request to upgrade the existing facilities, the Economic Development and Tourism division has allocated an initial amount of R30 000 for the general maintenance at Van der Poel Square.
The division acknowledged a request had been made to access some of the open municipal spaces to operate and upgrade markets to promote local and international tourism.
However, the division also had to prioritise the list of growing needs of the informal sector specifically in respect of basic infrastructure.
The municipality is currently reviewing the list of informal sector needs based on the limited available funding. Additional requests will be considered during the municipality’s adjustment budgetary processes in October 2022.
Please note that the national Department of Small Business Development implemented the Wholesale and Retail SETA training which included an allocation of equipment once the training was completed.
In this instance the municipality only facilitated the link between the beneficiaries and the national Department of Small Business Development.
